


Warming a house

by Wishfulthinking1979



Series: Star Wars Goes to the Dogs [2]
Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Artoo is a Corgi and belongs to Luke, Epic Friendship, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Skywalker Family Feels, The Lady is a black German Shepherd who adopted Piett (along with the Skywalkers), Threepio is a Golden Retriever who belongs to Leia, Wishful can apparently restrain the angst stick once in awhile, no angst to be had
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:40:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26709157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wishfulthinking1979/pseuds/Wishfulthinking1979
Summary: Leia drags her favorite adopted uncle around to look at houses. Artoo thus learns about house warming.
Relationships: Firmus Piett & Anakin Skywalker & Maximilian Veers, Firmus Piett & Luke Skywalker, Firmus Piett & Maximilian Veers, Leia Organa & Firmus Piett
Series: Star Wars Goes to the Dogs [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924630
Comments: 13
Kudos: 30





	Warming a house

**Author's Note:**

> Well here we are in fluff town. Given that I have plenty of other works with all the angst and such in the galaxy, I think we can afford a little fluff once in a while, right? 
> 
> This follows right on the heels from the first work in the series and it would be helpful to read that if you haven't already, just to get what all our people have walked through.

“And this one has lovely views from the upstairs…” the realtor said, moving up the staircase. Piett gazed at the cream carpet and then at his wellies.

“Should we, ah…?”

  
“Oh dear yes, I forgot. Just slip them off dear that’s fine.”

He smirked at Leia as the woman turned back up the staircase.

“Yes, _dear_ ,” Leia murmured to him, slipping her own wellies off, “do slip those off.”

Mischief danced in her brown eyes.

“She’s your age at least, if not older” she laughed softly as they followed the woman upstairs.

He raised an eyebrow at her..

“Are you saying that I’m old, Leia?”

“I would _never_!” she teased.

“Because I’ll have you know that 44 is considered prime.”

“Oh yes? Who says that?”

“People,” he told her airily, and she chuckled and took his arm at the top of the stairs.

The woman was right--the view from all the rooms up here was indeed lovely. But he could barely bring himself to care too much about that. He was just so pleased to be spending the day with his adopted niece, looking at houses and laughing at many things in the way that they used to.

It was a far cry from the previous six months--some of the darkest in his life if he was honest--- and he was so very grateful to be back with the family that he loved very dearly. 

Virtually as soon as he was well enough, Leia had presented a list of homes which were reasonably close to theirs for him to consider. It was still rather a blur in his mind--he’d gone from being fired and rejected to promoted breathtakingly and brought back into the warm and crazy embrace that was the Skywalker family. 

The fact that his salary would now easily allow him to buy any one of these beautiful houses was still taking a while for his brain to process.

“And there are two en suites up here…” prattled the well meaning estate agent.

“Look,” Piett said, interrupting, “this is lovely indeed, but far more space than I could possibly use. I do appreciate it. Are there anymore?”

Truth be told he was a bit tired. This had been his first week back at work and while there was such an energetic and hopeful feeling at the company now, with Lord Vader as CEO, it had been exhausting.

“Well, I mean...if you’re sure,” said the woman. “This property is going to be snatched up. The proximity to the motorway and…”

“Thank you,” Piett told her firmly, “but no. Are there more?”

“Well,” said the woman, patting her carefully dyed blonde hair, “there is one more. But it’s slightly more out of the way, and does share some grounds….”

“Shall we?” Leia asked, squeezing his arm and looking up at him hopefully.

_And he wouldn’t say no to spending more time with his favorite girl._

Accordingly they all bundled into the estate agent’s scrupulously clean Mercedes and drove to the last destination.

“Do we have pictures for this one?” Piett asked Leia as she flipped through their folder.

“Mmmm, no pictures, but here’s the description and price point.”

She handed him the paper.

_Old Chesnut Avenue_

_6 bedrooms and five bathrooms--goodness. Somewhat excessive really._

_Lovely grounds adjoining another property._

_Stone and brick, built in the late Georgian period. He did like that._

_Modern utilities and electric. Rather essential these days._

“It sounds lovely and…..big,” he told Leia who was leaning against him and watching the countryside go by.

“But consider this Uncle Firmus, you’re head of legal now. And a Senior partner. It will be expected that you will have _some_ social gatherings. And what about when you have all of us over?”

“I’m expected to have Skywalkers descend upon me en masse?”

She snuggled into his side. 

“I will write it into all of your papers when you buy a house. We’ll expect you to host Christmas some years.”

_Dear heavens, really?_

“I’m a fair cook, my dear, I wouldn’t say I’m…..”

She laughed.

“You hire people for these things, Uncle Firmus, talented and gifted people in their field.”

“Mmm.”

“Here we are,” commented the woman from the front.

Piett looked up at the house as they drove up the long gravel drive. 

It was situated very well, the grounds on all sides, sloping away pleasantly. There was a wooded area to the right of the house and it curved around toward the back, affording a nice enclosed impression without being oppressive. 

He stepped out of the car as the woman led the way already apologising that the grounds were shared at a certain point.

The entry was wide and bright---a pleasing combination of wood and white with a wide staircase sweeping up to the next level of the house.

The kitchen was dominantly blue and he liked it immediately. It was big and inviting and he could already picture the twins sitting at the counter….

_Was he already picturing them here?_

Each room was right. The house was right--he knew it in his bones, even if it was still a bit big for his taste. He loved all the touches--the old fireplaces in the bedrooms, the high ceilings and wide doors. The panelling in the sitting room and the marvellous fireplace in the living room. Veers would like his chair to be near that, Piett reflected and was startled to realize that he was thinking of furniture in relation to the people in his life.

Leia would want a big cozy sofa. Very well---he would let her pick it out. Luke liked thick rugs and that was grand.

Piett himself liked the large fat chintz chairs at the Skywalker home and would rather like some himself though he preferred the navy stripes more. 

He paused and gazed around the deep back garden, very green right now, though no flowers yet. Lady would have plenty of room.

“And this wood leads to the part of the property that is shared in that odd little clause. One of those 18th century land things. It’s why this one isn’t as expensive.”

“Has it been an issue for the previous owners?”

“Oh no. Occasionally the dog has come and dug in the flowerbeds, but nothing catastrophic.”

She could likely see that he was more keen and she was good at her job.

“I’ll leave you to wander a bit, shall I?”

She moved back inside to sit at the island and do something on her phone.

Leia came to his side, hands in the pockets of her brown jacket.

“You like it,” she said with certainty.

He turned to her and smiled, reaching for her to draw her close.

“I do rather.”

“I thought you would.”

He angled her a look.

“If you thought this was the one, why did we drive all over the county looking at all the others?”

  
“Well, I wanted you to be sure. And did you think I would pass up an opportunity to spend the day with you?”

_He loved her tremendously._

“This adjoining property bit. Our agent seems to be….concerned. Should I be?”

Leia looked guilty. “Well…”

“Oh I do hope not. I have to confess, this house very much suits me.”

“Uncle Firmus.” She slid an arm around his waist. “I knew you’d love this house. It’s why I saved it to last. And I hope the surprise is a good one.” 

She looked up into his face. “The property is attached to ours on the east side. About a mile this way and you come across our pond.”

The surprise was a good one.

“You mean to tell me that if I walk a mile that way, I will be at your home?”

She grinned at him. “It’s why I pushed so hard for this weekend, and you’ve been a saint--I know you’re so tired after everything. But I saw this was on the market and knew you had to have it.”

He kissed her head. “You know, some people would say that’s very manipulative.”

  
“Which people?” she asked innocently.

“ _Some_ ,” he told her sternly, then laughed.

“Let’s go let the agent know,” she said, tugging on his arm.

  
  


*****

The humans were busy.

There was an air of excitement and there were so many people carrying things and so many _new smells!_

Artoo dodged between the legs of the men moving the new sofa inside to get to the new chairs and sniff them thoroughly.

Rather remiss of the humans not to have him sniff all the things before placing them in the house. 

Yep. They were chairs. He approved. He told the movers this by barking loudly and doing a circle around the moving van.

This giant rolled tube was…...a carpet. A new carpet----Artoo couldn’t wait to roll on it. 

Threepio’s human was inside in the entryway, helping to direct the movers. Threepio hadn’t bothered to come because he was patrolling their garden, grumbling about moles even though he never helped Artoo try to dig them up.

Lady’s human was helping to carry in boxes, and he seemed so much happier than when Artoo had first seen him.

Well.

No surprise there. He had come back into Artoo’s presence and behold, he was happier. He had noted that this was a gift that he had. 

He brought happiness to humans.

He tried to cheer other dogs up as well---and he was usually successful. He never bothered trying to bring happiness to cats. Because cats. He did like to bring chasing to cats because they puffed up amusingly and swore at him, but then they ran off looking like such twits.

He loved that.

He danced around the kitchen where Lady’s human was stacking boxes in the corner and gave him a quelling look.“Artoo. Try not to kill yourself or others, hmm?”

He knew that he was being told to do something, but the Lady’s human sounded fondly exasperated. This was a common sound when humans spoke to him.

He trotted out to the back garden where Lady was surveying her new domain. 

She raised an eyebrow at him and informed him with a bark that this was hers and he better not be caught messing up her territory.

As this was She Who Must Be Obeyed, he rolled to his back and Lady sniffed him before nudging him on his way.

The smiling master was here!!

Artoo raced back and forth on the gravel drive to express his joy.

“Yes all right, Artoo, come here,” laughed the smiling master and gave him a proper tummy rub before resuming his work carrying in furniture.

Later, after things had been mostly placed where the humans deemed appropriate, the boss master arrived. He gave the Lady’s human a bottle of liquid that seemed to please him a great deal and he opened it to offer some to the boss master. The boss master patted the back of the Lady’s human---Artoo knew this meant approval.

Threepio’s human returned from her errand with numerous brown paper bags and a huge bundle of cut flowers.

Artoo eyed them balefully as Lady’s human embraced her and took the flowers out of her hands to find a container for them.

This was still a source of ongoing bitterness for Artoo. _Why_ was it perfectly acceptable for humans to cut massive amounts of flowers and bring them inside, but if _he_ tried to drag in flowers, _he_ was scolded?

There was no justice.

Artoo’s human was unpacking food from the brown bags and it smelled…... _divine_.

He noted that even Lady was looking very pointedly at the food from her position near her human. She chose to sit and make her eyes look big. Artoo chose to bark and run around the new dining table three times. 

Lady’s human smiled and laid a hand on her head.

“Did you think we had forgotten you two? Luke honestly, your dog has no manners at all.”

No idea what that meant, but fond exasperation again, so he was doing something right. 

Lady’s human was pulling shiny bowls out of the boxes stacked in the corner and he set them near the big pantry. Artoo’s human came to help him get their dinner and then….bliss.

He and Lady crunched happily and the humans ate something with two sticks. 

“Thank you for the takeaway, Leia,” said the boss master. “Did you remember the extra spicy Kung Pao?”

“This box, Dad,” said Artoo’s human, handing it over.

“Well I can smell dinner so I assume you’re all here,” came the voice of the Fierce human, and he came into the kitchen holding a large box in his hands.

The humans greeted his arrival happily and Lady went to nudge her nose against his leg, earning her a brief pat on the head.

Artoo zipped over, but a look from the Fierce human had him rolling to his back.

The smiling human laughed. “He knows that you won’t put up with hair on your trousers, Mr. Veers.”

“I’m not in the business of tummy rubs either,” replied the Fierce human, handing the box to the Lady’s human.

“Max. It’s heavy. You really didn’t…”

“Of course I did, Firmus. I love the place. I’ll need a tour after we eat. I hear the neighbors are a bit of a bore, though.”

General laughter. Artoo barked. It was expected even if he didn’t understand the joke.

“Open it, Uncle Firmus, I’m dying to know now,” said Threepio’s human coming to his side. 

He complied and lifted out a great deal of paper. 

Why was he discarding the true gift? Artoo rolled around in the paper and it made the crackling noises. Perfect.

But the humans were all exclaiming over what the Lady’s human was holding.

“Max…..It’s so lovely. It will be perfect on the mantle.”

“Nice work, Mr. Veers,” piped up Artoo’s human. “I didn’t know you knew about Uncle Firmus’s obsession with the tall ships.”

  
The Fierce human gave a fond look to the Lady’s human.

“Have you seen all the paintings in his office? Besides, this one is perfect for many reasons.”

“The HMS Victory?” said Threepio’s human, smiling and crossing her arms. “I should think so. Though happily we’ll keep our Admiral Piett after his battle for Trafalgar.” She kissed him on the cheek and carefully took the object from his hands.

“Let’s have dinner.”

Artoo was beginning to understand. All the humans were bringing gifts to the Lady’s human. 

It had something to do with him living in this house.

Well. Let it not be said that Artoo didn’t know how to bring gifts for the right occasions.

He and the Lady were let out to conduct their business and Artoo shot off toward the wooded areas. He could usually find excellent gifts here. 

He was quite muddy and very tired when he at last succeeded, but he had the perfect gift for the Lady’s human.

He trotted proudly past Lady who rolled her eyes at him and proceeded past him to find the humans. They appeared to have moved from the kitchen and into the living room judging by the voices. 

Artoo looked for the perfect spot to display his gift. There. There was good. He placed it carefully between the stools and the dining table and went to find the humans so they could see and approve.

“Oh, Artoo. Luke, look how muddy he is---he can’t come in here like that.”

“Uncle Firmus do you have some rags I could…..?”

  
“Certainly, Luke. Come with me.”

  
Artoo trotted out before them back to the kitchen. He could barely contain his glee.

The Lady’s human would be so excited. 

He reached his gift and whizzed in circles before barking and hopping slightly in place.

_Wasn’t it wonderful? Wasn’t it everything one could ever want?_

The Lady’s human was awestruck---he could tell by how still he stood.

“Luke, could you perhaps inform your dog that I don’t have a particular use for a dead squirrel?”

“Oh _Artoo_.”

**Author's Note:**

> So a little fun trivia: Kenneth Colley actually played Admiral Nelson in I Remember Nelson and did an incredible job, even learning how to use his left hand (Nelson was left handed) for the short series. I had also had fun naturally, referring to him as Admiral Piett, because of course I did. :)


End file.
